launderette

A launderette is a self-service laundry facility that provides coin- or card-operated washing machines and clothes dryers for public use. Some locations also offer drop-off services, wash-and-fold, or dry-cleaning.

Facilities typically consist of a row of front-loading or top-loading washing machines, a bank of dryers, seating, and a vending area with detergents and fabric softeners. Change machines or card readers enable payment, and some sites accept mobile payment.

Users load clothes, select a wash or dry cycle, and start the machine. Machines vary in load size and cycle duration, and most laundries publish pricing per cycle. Many launderettes operate on a self-service basis, while others provide staff assistance, especially for drop-off services.

Launderettes are common in urban areas with high residential density and in apartment neighborhoods where in-apartment laundry facilities are limited. In the United States, similar facilities are usually called laundromats; in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries, “launderette” is the common term.

As with many shared services, launderettes have adapted to trends toward energy efficiency and convenience, using energy- and water-saving machines and card- or app-based payments. Environmental concerns, accessibility, and competition with in-home machines influence pricing and service offerings.